I got in both the best arch school and the best med school in my country, however I'm hesitant when it comes to choosing one. I have always been passionate about architecture and it was what I wanted to do, up until these last months, when I realised that job offers in this field are EXTREMELY limited and that the construction business hasn't been doing good overall. I believe that being a doctor is much safer ( and well, they make more money), but is it worth sacrificing my passion for architecture ?
Jay1122
Aug 21, 20 3:28 pm
Don't know what country you are in, the markets are different. But If you have to ask, it is definitely doctor for you. You will thank me later in your life. Job offer in arch is not extremely limited. Positions doing magazine level fancy design is.
I'm in Morocco, I completely understand your point. Thanks for your answer
Jay1122
Aug 21, 20 5:11 pm
Ah, Morocco. I have zero knowledge how architecture works there.Do they even require license? Anyway architecture is strictly tied to economy. If your country does not have much development going on, don't get into architecture. But if you are considering going to Europe,NA,Asia for your career development, worth a shot but still difficult. Doctor is always better, everyone gets sick some day.
linafarsi
Aug 21, 20 5:16 pm
As far as I know, no license is required
JLC-1
Aug 21, 20 3:36 pm
when you become a good doctor, you actually help people- good architects help other architects become famous and rich.
Wood Guy
Aug 21, 20 5:05 pm
What about architecture do you love? There is a good chance you can fulfill some or most of the same desires in a medical-related profession.
I love designing homes, and it's too late for me to change careers now, but if I could start over I would strongly consider going into the medical field, or chemical engineering. If it's an option for you, you will almost certainly make more money and help more people. You can use your money to hire architects and still be involved in design, without the drudgery. Although conventional wisdom is to find your passion and make that your career, I've done that three times now and it always just ends up being work. Relatively enjoyable work, but work. You might as well get paid better, have better job security and help people.
If the part of architecture that appeals to you is providing entertainment for rich people, you can always go into plastic surgery.
linafarsi
Aug 21, 20 5:14 pm
I am really grateful for your insightful answer, I guess I'll go with med school
randomised
Aug 21, 20 5:40 pm
how is it much safer to be a doctor when you’re exposed to sick people and viruses all the time, haven’t heard of many architects dying from corona, doctors and nurses on the other hand seem to drop like flies...
linafarsi
Aug 21, 20 5:58 pm
Safer career wise I guess; stable income, decent job market ...
randomised
Aug 22, 20 3:01 am
And death
bowling_ball
Aug 24, 20 2:13 am
Last I checked, we all die
randomised
Aug 24, 20 3:28 am
I’d rather be working safely from home during a pandemic than be constantly exposed to plenty of contagious morons needing hospitalisation for not washing their hands or wearing a simple mask, but maybe that’s just me.
Volunteer
Aug 21, 20 5:52 pm
Be a orthopedist specializing in sports medicine. You will make a ton of money and work with mostly healthy young people. Your salary will be between $350,000 and $400,000.
apscoradiales
Aug 23, 20 8:44 pm
"Doctors bury their mistakes, architects cannot".
Being a doctor or a nurse requires special mental skills - are you able to cope with dying people grieving families, telling someone they have terminal cancer, etc.
Can you do that?
Biggest issue for architects is whether to choose red brick or brown brick...kind of.
Much easier being an architect, money notwithstanding.
rcz1001
Aug 23, 20 9:46 pm
RULE #1:
Do not ask architects questions which career to pursue like "Architect or _________ (Doctor in this example)". They will almost always suggest you to choose the other career. It is always greener grass in the other occupation than architecture.
They would recommend you to choose a career as a dog catcher or a burger flipper at a fast food restaurants over pursuing architecture. They are so disillusioned about their own profession.
If you have to ask a question like Doctor or Architect as a career choice, I would suggest neither. Why? You are not ready to pursue any career requiring advance education. When you are ready is when you decide for yourself which occupation to pursue and committed to put the time, energy, and money to pursue that career.
You are not committed if you ask the questions like in the original post. If you are not committed, it doesn't matter what career choice you flip a coin to. You have to be committed and dedicated and have your heart into it. Otherwise, you are wasting your time and other people's time.
That commitment is on you and no one else. You have to dedicate yourself regardless of every possible stumbling block along the way even if it takes you 50 YEARS. If you are not dedicated that much, don't waste your time.
If you are not dedicated then stick with what doesn't require a degree or occupational license (professional license) or anything like that but only a high school diploma (or equivalent) until you discover an occupation that you possess the passion and dedication to pursue.
REMEMBER, YOU ARE PURSUING A CAREER FOR YOURSELF, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
You pursue a job to make sure you have food on the table, a roof over your head and that of your spouse and children if you have any. You pursue a career is more than just a job. It's a way of life. It is part of defining yourself and legacy. There is multiple dimensions to that but your career is part of that. Consideration of your spouse and children are important factors in considering careers but deep down, it is you that matters in this ultimately. If you are miserable and hate the work, you will show it and everyone will see it. You would then likely be seeking another career.
Deep down, most here are passionate about their career otherwise they wouldn't be here. Their decision is ultimately personal and they chose it for themselves. They were passionate and dedicated.
linafarsi
Aug 23, 20 10:26 pm
I was commited to architecture a few months back and I was sure that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, until my parents pressured me to apply to med school and take the entrance exam. When I surprinsigly got into med school, they kind of try to force it on me rn. However, I totally agree with you. If I had to choose between to career paths- or have people choose for me- I'm probably not ready to pick a career yet. Thanks for your insightful answer.
rcz1001
Aug 24, 20 12:56 am
It isn't so much having to choose between career paths but obviously when you ask other people which career path to choose, then you haven't determined which career you are determined to take. You have to decide for yourself. From a strictly financial point of view, being a medical doctor is a good-paying career. However, you have to be passionate about the career choice.
Why are your parents even have a say in decision making regarding your college education? At age 18, you are an adult and everything is your choice and your responsibility. They should not be deciding your education for you as an adult. You can hear them out and their concerns but you must decide for yourself. Just going to med school doesn't mean you will be successful in a career as a doctor.
Can you stand the sight of blood and looking at the inners of a human body? Can you stand the smell? Have you ever gut a cow or a deer or elk or in Morocco, an addax, or other such wildlife in your country? If you can't stomach that, then you do not want to be a surgeon or involved in that type of medical practice where you would be seeing that stuff. I'm not saying that you should pursue architecture or pursue being a medical doctor.
If it helps, get a full candid picture of each career especially where you plan to practice. You should not pursue a career unless you are committed to the career and passionate about it. You should know the good, the bad, and the ugly about each. In the medical field, there is a lot of different disciplines. You should consult professionals in the various medical disciplines for a candid picture of what the career is like... the good, the bad, and the ugly.
You shouldn't pursue any career because your parents are pushing you in that direction. I think you should know the good, the bad, and the ugly about architecture and related fields within architecture. This isn't something you will get a clear answer in 24 hours. Give yourself time to assess the various careers. I don't know enough about you to pick for you. You should know what you are getting into not just in college but after college.
I got in both the best arch school and the best med school in my country, however I'm hesitant when it comes to choosing one. I have always been passionate about architecture and it was what I wanted to do, up until these last months, when I realised that job offers in this field are EXTREMELY limited and that the construction business hasn't been doing good overall. I believe that being a doctor is much safer ( and well, they make more money), but is it worth sacrificing my passion for architecture ?
Don't know what country you are in, the markets are different. But If you have to ask, it is definitely doctor for you. You will thank me later in your life. Job offer in arch is not extremely limited. Positions doing magazine level fancy design is.
Check out my favorite video:
So you want to be an architect
I'm in Morocco, I completely understand your point. Thanks for your answer
Ah, Morocco. I have zero knowledge how architecture works there.Do they even require license? Anyway architecture is strictly tied to economy. If your country does not have much development going on, don't get into architecture. But if you are considering going to Europe,NA,Asia for your career development, worth a shot but still difficult. Doctor is always better, everyone gets sick some day.
As far as I know, no license is required
when you become a good doctor, you actually help people- good architects help other architects become famous and rich.
What about architecture do you love? There is a good chance you can fulfill some or most of the same desires in a medical-related profession.
I love designing homes, and it's too late for me to change careers now, but if I could start over I would strongly consider going into the medical field, or chemical engineering. If it's an option for you, you will almost certainly make more money and help more people. You can use your money to hire architects and still be involved in design, without the drudgery. Although conventional wisdom is to find your passion and make that your career, I've done that three times now and it always just ends up being work. Relatively enjoyable work, but work. You might as well get paid better, have better job security and help people.
If the part of architecture that appeals to you is providing entertainment for rich people, you can always go into plastic surgery.
I am really grateful for your insightful answer, I guess I'll go with med school
how is it much safer to be a doctor when you’re exposed to sick people and viruses all the time, haven’t heard of many architects dying from corona, doctors and nurses on the other hand seem to drop like flies...
Safer career wise I guess; stable income, decent job market ...
And death
Last I checked, we all die
I’d rather be working safely from home during a pandemic than be constantly exposed to plenty of contagious morons needing hospitalisation for not washing their hands or wearing a simple mask, but maybe that’s just me.
Be a orthopedist specializing in sports medicine. You will make a ton of money and work with mostly healthy young people. Your salary will be between $350,000 and $400,000.
"Doctors bury their mistakes, architects cannot".
Being a doctor or a nurse requires special mental skills - are you able to cope with dying people grieving families, telling someone they have terminal cancer, etc.
Can you do that?
Biggest issue for architects is whether to choose red brick or brown brick...kind of.
Much easier being an architect, money notwithstanding.
RULE #1:
Do not ask architects questions which career to pursue like "Architect or _________ (Doctor in this example)". They will almost always suggest you to choose the other career. It is always greener grass in the other occupation than architecture.
They would recommend you to choose a career as a dog catcher or a burger flipper at a fast food restaurants over pursuing architecture. They are so disillusioned about their own profession.
If you have to ask a question like Doctor or Architect as a career choice, I would suggest neither. Why? You are not ready to pursue any career requiring advance education. When you are ready is when you decide for yourself which occupation to pursue and committed to put the time, energy, and money to pursue that career.
You are not committed if you ask the questions like in the original post. If you are not committed, it doesn't matter what career choice you flip a coin to. You have to be committed and dedicated and have your heart into it. Otherwise, you are wasting your time and other people's time.
That commitment is on you and no one else. You have to dedicate yourself regardless of every possible stumbling block along the way even if it takes you 50 YEARS. If you are not dedicated that much, don't waste your time.
If you are not dedicated then stick with what doesn't require a degree or occupational license (professional license) or anything like that but only a high school diploma (or equivalent) until you discover an occupation that you possess the passion and dedication to pursue.
REMEMBER, YOU ARE PURSUING A CAREER FOR YOURSELF, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
You pursue a job to make sure you have food on the table, a roof over your head and that of your spouse and children if you have any. You pursue a career is more than just a job. It's a way of life. It is part of defining yourself and legacy. There is multiple dimensions to that but your career is part of that. Consideration of your spouse and children are important factors in considering careers but deep down, it is you that matters in this ultimately. If you are miserable and hate the work, you will show it and everyone will see it. You would then likely be seeking another career.
Deep down, most here are passionate about their career otherwise they wouldn't be here. Their decision is ultimately personal and they chose it for themselves. They were passionate and dedicated.
I was commited to architecture a few months back and I was sure that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, until my parents pressured me to apply to med school and take the entrance exam. When I surprinsigly got into med school, they kind of try to force it on me rn. However, I totally agree with you. If I had to choose between to career paths- or have people choose for me- I'm probably not ready to pick a career yet. Thanks for your insightful answer.
It isn't so much having to choose between career paths but obviously when you ask other people which career path to choose, then you haven't determined which career you are determined to take. You have to decide for yourself. From a strictly financial point of view, being a medical doctor is a good-paying career. However, you have to be passionate about the career choice.
Why are your parents even have a say in decision making regarding your college education? At age 18, you are an adult and everything is your choice and your responsibility. They should not be deciding your education for you as an adult. You can hear them out and their concerns but you must decide for yourself. Just going to med school doesn't mean you will be successful in a career as a doctor.
Can you stand the sight of blood and looking at the inners of a human body? Can you stand the smell? Have you ever gut a cow or a deer or elk or in Morocco, an addax, or other such wildlife in your country? If you can't stomach that, then you do not want to be a surgeon or involved in that type of medical practice where you would be seeing that stuff. I'm not saying that you should pursue architecture or pursue being a medical doctor.
If it helps, get a full candid picture of each career especially where you plan to practice. You should not pursue a career unless you are committed to the career and passionate about it. You should know the good, the bad, and the ugly about each. In the medical field, there is a lot of different disciplines. You should consult professionals in the various medical disciplines for a candid picture of what the career is like... the good, the bad, and the ugly.
You shouldn't pursue any career because your parents are pushing you in that direction. I think you should know the good, the bad, and the ugly about architecture and related fields within architecture. This isn't something you will get a clear answer in 24 hours. Give yourself time to assess the various careers. I don't know enough about you to pick for you. You should know what you are getting into not just in college but after college.